74 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



more economical and convenient to keep it in closely-stoppered 

 bottles or jars, and put a little out from this store into a galli- 

 pot when wanted. 



This preservative has been used for many years in the 

 Leicester Museum, and the immunity from insects now enjoyed 

 is not altogether attributed to its agency, but to methodical 

 principles and to insistence upon light. 



Many letters arrive, unsolicited, from all parts of the world, 

 in praise of this formula. 



Powders come next as preservatives, or rather driers of 

 skin ; but, being astringents, they often dry the skin so rapidly 

 as to render them practically useless, if much time be taken in 

 shaping the specimen. They are, however, exceedingly useful 

 to supplement pastes or soaps for drying up quickly what flesh 

 may be left upon the tail, skull, or between the radius and 

 ulna of the wings of large birds, or around the tail, feet, 

 etc., of mammals. Some of them also will allow a skin 

 treated by their means to be efficiently relaxed ; the 

 following is one of these, and has been tried upon large 

 specimens with a more than ordinary measure of success : — 



58. — Non-poisonous Preservative Powder (M.B.) 



Pure tannin . . . . . I oz. 



Red pepper . . . . i „ 



Camphor ..... i „ 



Alum (burnt) . . . . . 8 „ 



Pound and thoroughly mix, and keep in stoppered bottles 

 or canisters. 



Although the preceding powder is quite admissible and 

 efficacious for small mammals and most birds, it will not 

 penetrate large skins and sufficiently fix the fur or hair, but 

 can be highly recommended — insect-powder likewise — as an 

 efficient substitute for snuff! 



